Method and apparatus for processing sensor data of detected objects

ABSTRACT

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for detecting, by a system including at least one processor, a presence of an object from sensor data generated by a sensor device, retrieving, by the system, from a memory device a plurality of profiles biometrically descriptive of approved objects, asserting, by the system, an alarm responsive to determining from the sensor data that the detected object is not biometrically correlated to any of the plurality of profiles, classifying, by the system, the detected object as an authorized object responsive to determining from the sensor data that the detected object is biometrically correlated to at least one of the plurality of profiles, and notifying, by the system, at least one neighboring device responsive to asserting the alarm or responsive to classifying the detected object as the authorized object. Other embodiments are disclosed.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The subject disclosure relates generally to a method and apparatus forprocessing sensor data of detected objects.

BACKGROUND

Current monitoring systems use a combination of passive infrareddetectors and optical cameras to monitor areas. Infrared sensors detectheat signatures, which can be used among other things to trigger analarm when an object emanating heat is detected. Cameras can also beused to trigger an alarm if enough pixels change to identify a foreignobject.

Lighting changes, however, can cause false detections by a camera andconsequently false alarms. Hot ambient temperatures can cause aninfrared detector to not detect an animal or person in its field ofdetection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are notnecessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

FIGS. 1-2 depict illustrative embodiments of communication systems thatprovide media services;

FIG. 3 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a web portal forinteracting with the communication systems of FIGS. 1-2;

FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication deviceutilized in the communication systems of FIGS. 1-2;

FIGS. 5-6 depict illustrative embodiments of a device for processingdetected objects;

FIGS. 7-8 depict illustrative embodiments for placement of the device ofFIGS. 5-6;

FIG. 9 depicts an illustrative embodiment for analyzing member parts ofan object;

FIG. 10 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a method operating inportions of the systems described in FIGS. 1-8; and

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of acomputer system within which a set of instructions, when executed, maycause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods describedherein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject disclosure describes, among other things, illustrativeembodiments for monitoring objects, performing detections thereof,identifying the objects as foreign or authorized objects, tracking theforeign or authorized objects, and triggering alarms or enablingservices depending on whether the object is a foreign object orauthorized object, respectively. Other embodiments are contemplated bythe subject disclosure.

One embodiment of the subject disclosure includes a sensor, a memorystoring computer instructions, and a processor coupled to the memory.Responsive to executing the computer instructions, the processor canperform operations including receiving sensor data from the sensor,detecting an object according to the sensor data, asserting an alarmresponsive to determining from the sensor data that the detected objectis not correlated to any of a plurality of profiles biometricallydescriptive of approved objects, classifying the detected object as anauthorized object responsive to determining from the sensor data thatthe detected object is correlated to at least one of the plurality ofprofiles, and notifying at least one neighboring device responsive toasserting the alarm or responsive to classifying the detected object asthe authorized object.

One embodiment of the subject disclosure includes a method fordetecting, by a system including at least one processor, a presence ofan object from sensor data generated by a sensor device, retrieving, bythe system, from a memory device a plurality of profiles biometricallydescriptive of approved objects, asserting, by the system, an alarmresponsive to determining from the sensor data that the detected objectis not biometrically correlated to any of the plurality of profiles,classifying, by the system, the detected object as an authorized objectresponsive to determining from the sensor data that the detected objectis biometrically correlated to at least one of the plurality ofprofiles, and notifying, by the system, at least one neighboring deviceresponsive to asserting the alarm or responsive to classifying thedetected object as the authorized object.

One embodiment of the subject disclosure includes a computer-readablestorage medium having computer instructions, where responsive to atleast one processor executing the computer instructions, the at leastone processor performs operations including detecting an object fromsensor data generated by a sensor device, retrieving a plurality ofprofiles biometrically descriptive of approved objects, classifying thedetected object as an authorized object responsive to determining fromthe sensor data that the detected object is biometrically correlated toat least one of the plurality of profiles, and notifying at least oneneighboring device responsive to classifying the detected object as theauthorized object.

FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a first communicationsystem 100 for delivering media content. The communication system 100can represent an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) media system. TheIPTV media system can include a super head-end office (SHO) 110 with atleast one super headend office server (SHS) 111 which receives mediacontent from satellite and/or terrestrial communication systems. In thepresent context, media content can represent, for example, audiocontent, moving image content such as 2D or 3D videos, video games,virtual reality content, still image content, and combinations thereof.The SHS server 111 can forward packets associated with the media contentto one or more video head-end servers (VHS) 114 via a network of videohead-end offices (VHO) 112 according to a multicast communicationprotocol.

The VHS 114 can distribute multimedia broadcast content via an accessnetwork 118 to commercial and/or residential buildings 102 housing agateway 104 (such as a residential or commercial gateway). The accessnetwork 118 can represent a group of digital subscriber line accessmultiplexers (DSLAMs) located in a central office or a service areainterface that provide broadband services over fiber optical links orcopper twisted pairs 119 to buildings 102. The gateway 104 can usecommunication technology to distribute broadcast signals to mediaprocessors 106 such as Set-Top Boxes (STBs) which in turn presentbroadcast channels to media devices 108 such as computers or televisionsets managed in some instances by a media controller 107 (such as aninfrared or RF remote controller).

The gateway 104, the media processors 106, and media devices 108 canutilize tethered communication technologies (such as coaxial, powerlineor phone line wiring) or can operate over a wireless access protocolsuch as Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Bluetooth, Zigbee, or other present ornext generation local or personal area wireless network technologies. Byway of these interfaces, unicast communications can also be invokedbetween the media processors 106 and subsystems of the IPTV media systemfor services such as video-on-demand (VoD), browsing an electronicprogramming guide (EPG), or other infrastructure services.

A satellite broadcast television system 129 can be used in the mediasystem of FIG. 1. The satellite broadcast television system can beoverlaid, operably coupled with, or replace the IPTV system as anotherrepresentative embodiment of communication system 100. In thisembodiment, signals transmitted by a satellite 115 that include mediacontent can be received by a satellite dish receiver 131 coupled to thebuilding 102. Modulated signals received by the satellite dish receiver131 can be transferred to the media processors 106 for demodulating,decoding, encoding, and/or distributing broadcast channels to the mediadevices 108. The media processors 106 can be equipped with a broadbandport to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) network 132 to enableinteractive services such as VoD and EPG as described above.

In yet another embodiment, an analog or digital cable broadcastdistribution system such as cable TV system 133 can be overlaid,operably coupled with, or replace the IPTV system and/or the satelliteTV system as another representative embodiment of communication system100. In this embodiment, the cable TV system 133 can also provideInternet, telephony, and interactive media services.

It is contemplated that the subject disclosure can apply to otherpresent or next generation over-the-air and/or landline media contentservices system.

Some of the network elements of the IPTV media system can be coupled toone or more computing devices 130, a portion of which can operate as aweb server for providing web portal services over the ISP network 132 towireline media devices 108 or wireless communication devices 116.

Each media processor 106 of FIG. 1 can be further equipped with a sensor121 that enables the media processors 106 to detect a user's image,depth of body parts of the user, body motions, or other biometricfeatures of the user, which can be used to generate a virtualtouchscreen enabling the user to control media presented by the mediaprocessor 106 according to software function 164. The wirelesscommunication devices 116 can also include a sensor similar infunctionality to sensor 121 and configured with software function 162 toperform virtual touchscreen processing as described for the mediaprocessor 106. The present disclosure can utilize or combine some or allembodiments described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/441,072,filed on Apr. 6, 2012, entitled, “Method and Apparatus for Presenting aVirtual Touchscreen,” which is hereby incorporated by reference into thepresent disclosure in its entirety.

Sensor 121 can also operate as an independently operated device, whichcan be placed in multiple areas of building 102 (e.g., rooms, openareas, areas outside of building 102, etc.) as shown in FIGS. 7-8. Eachsensor 121 can be configure for monitoring objects, performingdetections thereof, identifying the objects as foreign or authorizedobjects, tracking the foreign or authorized objects, and triggeringalarms or enabling services depending on whether the object is a foreignobject or authorized object, respectively.

Communication system 100 can also provide for all or a portion of thecomputing devices 130 to function as a server (herein referred to asserver 130). The server 130 can use computing and communicationtechnology to perform function 162, which can include among things,processing of biometric information captured by sensors 121, monitoringareas of building 102, and/or enabling or configuring control of mediapresentations provided by the media processor 106. The media processors106 and wireless communication devices 116 can be provisioned withsoftware functions 162 and 164, respectively, to utilize the services ofserver 130.

It is further contemplated that multiple forms of media services can beoffered to media devices over landline technologies such as thosedescribed above. Additionally, media services can be offered to mediadevices by way of a wireless access base station 117 operating accordingto common wireless access protocols such as Global System for Mobile orGSM, Code Division Multiple Access or CDMA, Time Division MultipleAccess or TDMA, Universal Mobile Telecommunications or UMTS, Worldinteroperability for Microwave or WiMAX, Software Defined Radio or SDR,Long Term Evolution or LTE, and so on. Other present and next generationwireless access network technologies are contemplated by the subjectdisclosure.

FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication system 200employing an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network architecture tofacilitate the combined services of circuit-switched and packet-switchedsystems. Communication system 200 can be overlaid or operably coupledwith communication system 100 as another representative embodiment ofcommunication system 100.

Communication system 200 can comprise a Home Subscriber Server (HSS)240, a tElephone NUmber Mapping (ENUM) server 230, and other networkelements of an IMS network 250. The IMS network 250 can establishcommunications between IMS-compliant communication devices (CDs) 201,202, Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) CDs 203, 205, andcombinations thereof by way of a Media Gateway Control Function (MGCF)220 coupled to a PSTN network 260. The MGCF 220 need not be used when acommunication session involves IMS CD to IMS CD communications. Acommunication session involving at least one PSTN CD may utilize theMGCF 220.

IMS CDs 201, 202 can register with the IMS network 250 by contacting aProxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) which communicates with aninterrogating CSCF (I-CSCF), which in turn, communicates with a ServingCSCF (S-CSCF) to register the CDs with the HSS 240. To initiate acommunication session between CDs, an originating IMS CD 201 can submita Session Initiation Protocol (SIP INVITE) message to an originatingP-CSCF 204 which communicates with a corresponding originating S-CSCF206. The originating S-CSCF 206 can submit the SIP INVITE message to oneor more application servers (ASs) 217 that can provide a variety ofservices to IMS subscribers.

For example, the application servers 217 can be used to performoriginating call feature treatment functions on the calling party numberreceived by the originating S-CSCF 206 in the SIP INVITE message.Originating treatment functions can include determining whether thecalling party number has international calling services, call IDblocking, calling name blocking, 7-digit dialing, and/or is requestingspecial telephony features (e.g., *72 forward calls, *73 cancel callforwarding, *67 for caller ID blocking, and so on). Based on initialfilter criteria (iFCs) in a subscriber profile associated with a CD, oneor more application servers may be invoked to provide various calloriginating feature services.

Additionally, the originating S-CSCF 206 can submit queries to the ENUMsystem 230 to translate an E.164 telephone number in the SIP INVITEmessage to a SIP Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) if the terminatingcommunication device is IMS-compliant. The SIP URI can be used by anInterrogating CSCF (I-CSCF) 207 to submit a query to the HSS 240 toidentify a terminating S-CSCF 214 associated with a terminating IMS CDsuch as reference 202. Once identified, the I-CSCF 207 can submit theSIP INVITE message to the terminating S-CSCF 214. The terminating S-CSCF214 can then identify a terminating P-CSCF 216 associated with theterminating CD 202. The P-CSCF 216 may then signal the CD 202 toestablish Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication services,thereby enabling the calling and called parties to engage in voiceand/or data communications. Based on the iFCs in the subscriber profile,one or more application servers may be invoked to provide various callterminating feature services, such as call forwarding, do not disturb,music tones, simultaneous ringing, sequential ringing, etc.

In some instances the aforementioned communication process issymmetrical. Accordingly, the terms “originating” and “terminating” inFIG. 2 may be interchangeable. It is further noted that communicationsystem 200 can be adapted to support video conferencing. In addition,communication system 200 can be adapted to provide the IMS CDs 201, 202with the multimedia and Internet services of communication system 100 ofFIG. 1.

If the terminating communication device is instead a PSTN CD such as CD203 or CD 205 (in instances where the cellular phone only supportscircuit-switched voice communications), the ENUM system 230 can respondwith an unsuccessful address resolution which can cause the originatingS-CSCF 206 to forward the call to the MGCF 220 via a Breakout GatewayControl Function (BGCF) 219. The MGCF 220 can then initiate the call tothe terminating PSTN CD over the PSTN network 260 to enable the callingand called parties to engage in voice and/or data communications.

It is further appreciated that the CDs of FIG. 2 can operate as wirelineor wireless devices. For example, the CDs of FIG. 2 can becommunicatively coupled to a cellular base station 221, a femtocell, aWiFi router, a Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) baseunit, or another suitable wireless access unit to establishcommunications with the IMS network 250 of FIG. 2. The cellular accessbase station 221 can operate according to common wireless accessprotocols such as GSM, CDMA, TDMA, UMTS, WiMax, SDR, LTE, and so on.Other present and next generation wireless network technologies arecontemplated by the subject disclosure. Accordingly, multiple wirelineand wireless communication technologies are contemplated for the CDs ofFIG. 2.

It is further contemplated that cellular phones supporting LTE cansupport packet-switched voice and packet-switched data communicationsand thus may operate as IMS-compliant mobile devices. In thisembodiment, the cellular base station 221 may communicate directly withthe IMS network 250 as shown by the arrow connecting the cellular basestation 221 and the P-CSCF 216.

It is further understood that alternative forms of a CSCF can operate ina device, system, component, or other form of centralized or distributedhardware and/or software. Indeed, a respective CSCF may be embodied as arespective CSCF system having one or more computers or servers, eithercentralized or distributed, where each computer or server may beconfigured to perform or provide, in whole or in part, any method, step,or functionality described herein in accordance with a respective CSCF.Likewise, other functions, servers and computers described herein,including but not limited to, the HSS, the ENUM server, the BGCF, andthe MGCF, can be embodied in a respective system having one or morecomputers or servers, either centralized or distributed, where eachcomputer or server may be configured to perform or provide, in whole orin part, any method, step, or functionality described herein inaccordance with a respective function, server, or computer.

The server 130 of FIG. 1 can be operably coupled to the secondcommunication system 200 for purposes similar to those described above.It is further contemplated by the subject disclosure that server 130 canperform function 162 and thereby provide services to the CDs 201, 202,203 and 205 of FIG. 2. CDs 201, 202, 203 and 205, which can be adaptedwith software to perform function 172 to utilize the services of theserver 130. It is further contemplated that the server 130 can be anintegral part of the application server(s) 217 performing function 174,which can be substantially similar to function 162 and adapted to theoperations of the IMS network 250. It is also contemplated that CDs 201,202, 203 and 205 can be equipped with a sensor 223 having similarfunctionality to the sensor 121 described in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a web portal 302 which canbe hosted by server applications operating from the computing devices130 of the communication system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. The webportal 302 can be used for managing services of communication systems100-200. A web page of the web portal 302 can be accessed by a UniformResource Locator (URL) with an Internet browser such as Microsoft'sInternet Explorer™, Mozilla's Firefox™, Apple's Safari™, or Google'sChrome™ using an Internet-capable communication device such as thosedescribed in FIGS. 1-2. The web portal 302 can be configured, forexample, to access a media processor 106 and services managed therebysuch as a Digital Video Recorder (DVR), a Video on Demand (VoD) catalog,an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG), or a personal catalog (such aspersonal videos, pictures, audio recordings, etc.) stored at the mediaprocessor 106. The web portal 302 can also be used for provisioning IMSservices described earlier, provisioning Internet services, provisioningcellular phone services, and so on.

It is contemplated by the subject disclosure that the web portal 302 canfurther be utilized to manage and provision software applications162-164, and 172-174 to adapt these applications as may be desired bysubscribers and service providers of communication systems 100-200.

FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication device 400.Communication device 400 can serve in whole or in part as anillustrative embodiment of the devices depicted in FIGS. 1-2. Thecommunication device 400 can comprise a wireline and/or wirelesstransceiver 402 (herein transceiver 402), a user interface (UI) 404, apower supply 414, a location receiver 416, a motion sensor 418, anorientation sensor 420, and a controller 406 for managing operationsthereof. The transceiver 402 can support short-range or long-rangewireless access technologies such as Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, DECT, orcellular communication technologies, just to mention a few. Cellulartechnologies can include, for example, CDMA-1×, UMTS/HSDPA, GSM/GPRS,TDMA/EDGE, EV/DO, WiMAX, SDR, LTE, as well as other next generationwireless communication technologies as they arise. The transceiver 402can also be adapted to support circuit-switched wireline accesstechnologies (such as PSTN), packet-switched wireline accesstechnologies (such as TCP/IP, VoIP, etc.), and combinations thereof.

The UI 404 can include a depressible or touch-sensitive keypad 408 witha navigation mechanism such as a roller ball, a joystick, a mouse, or anavigation disk for manipulating operations of the communication device400. The keypad 408 can be an integral part of a housing assembly of thecommunication device 400 or an independent device operably coupledthereto by a tethered wireline interface (such as a USB cable) or awireless interface supporting for example Bluetooth. The keypad 408 canrepresent a numeric keypad commonly used by phones, and/or a QWERTYkeypad with alphanumeric keys. The UI 404 can further include a display410 such as monochrome or color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), OLED(Organic Light Emitting Diode) or other suitable display technology forconveying images to an end user of the communication device 400. In anembodiment where the display 410 is touch-sensitive, a portion or all ofthe keypad 408 can be presented by way of the display 410 withnavigation features.

The display 410 can use touch screen technology to also serve as a userinterface for detecting user input (e.g., touch of a user's finger). Asa touch screen display, the communication device 400 can be adapted topresent a user interface with graphical user interface (GUI) elementsthat can be selected by a user with a touch of a finger. The touchscreen display 410 can be equipped with capacitive, resistive or otherforms of sensing technology to detect how much surface area of a user'sfinger has been placed on a portion of the touch screen display. Thissensing information can be used control the manipulation of the GUIelements.

The UI 404 can also include an audio system 412 that utilizes commonaudio technology for conveying low volume audio (such as audio heardonly in the proximity of a human ear) and high volume audio (such asspeakerphone for hands free operation). The audio system 412 can furtherinclude a microphone for receiving audible signals of an end user. Theaudio system 412 can also be used for voice recognition applications.The UI 404 can further include an image sensor 413 such as a chargedcoupled device (CCD) camera for capturing still or moving images. The UI404 can further include a depth sensor 415 comprising, for example, andinfrared emitter and infrared sensor to detect depth of objects such asa user's arm when stretched out.

The power supply 414 can utilize common power management technologiessuch as replaceable and rechargeable batteries, supply regulationtechnologies, and charging system technologies for supplying energy tothe components of the communication device 400 to facilitate long-rangeor short-range portable applications. Alternatively, the charging systemcan utilize external power sources such as DC power supplied over aphysical interface such as a USB port. The location receiver 416 canutilize common location technology such as a global positioning system(GPS) receiver capable of assisted GPS for identifying a location of thecommunication device 400 based on signals generated by a constellationof GPS satellites, thereby facilitating location services such asnavigation. The motion sensor 418 can utilize motion sensing technologysuch as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or other suitable motion sensingto detect motion of the communication device 400 in three-dimensionalspace. The orientation sensor 420 can utilize orientation sensingtechnology such as a magnetometer to detect the orientation of thecommunication device 400 (North, South, West, East, combinedorientations thereof in degrees, minutes, or other suitable orientationmetrics).

The communication device 400 can use the transceiver 402 to alsodetermine a proximity to a cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth, or other wirelessaccess points by common sensing techniques such as utilizing a receivedsignal strength indicator (RSSI) and/or a signal time of arrival (TOA)or time of flight (TOF). The controller 406 can utilize computingtechnologies such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP),and/or a video processor with associated storage memory such as Flash,ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM or other storage technologies.

Other components not shown in FIG. 4 are contemplated by the subjectdisclosure. For instance, the communication device 400 can include areset button (not shown). The reset button can be used to reset thecontroller 406 of the communication device 400. In yet anotherembodiment, the communication device 400 can also include a factorydefault setting button positioned below a small hole in a housingassembly of the communication device 400 to force the communicationdevice 400 to re-establish factory settings. In this embodiment, a usercan use a protruding object such as a pen or paper clip tip to reachinto the hole and depress the default setting button.

The communication device 400 as described herein can operate with moreor less components described in FIG. 4. These variant embodiments arecontemplated by the subject disclosure. The communication device 400 canalso be adapted to perform the functions of the media processor 106, themedia devices 108, the portable communication devices 116, the sensor121 of FIG. 1, as well as the IMS CDs 201-202 and PSTN CDs 203-205 ofFIG. 2. It will be appreciated that the communication device 400 canalso represent other devices that can operate in communication systems100-200 of FIGS. 1-2 such as a gaming console and a media player.

It is contemplated by the subject disclosure that the communicationdevice 400 shown in FIG. 4 or portions thereof can serve as arepresentation of one or more of the devices of communication systems100-200. It is further contemplated that the controller 406 can beadapted in various embodiments to perform the functions 162-166 and172-176, respectively.

FIGS. 5-6 depict illustrative embodiments of a system 500. The system500 illustrated in FIG. 5 can include computing resources 502 including,for example, a multicore ARM processor and memory devices for storingmedia content and computer instructions which are executed by the ARMprocessor. The ARM processor can be coupled to input/output blockssupporting various I/O port technologies such as a WiFi port, anEthernet port, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, aSony/Philips Digital InterFace (SPDIF) port, or a USB 2.0 port forexchanging messages with other sensors 121 or the server 131, forexchanging media signals, for controlling appliance resources of abuilding (e.g., lighting, audio services, etc.), and/or for controllinga presentation device such as a high-definition television, a portablemedia player, a computer monitor, and other suitable presentationdevices. The computing resources 502 of system 500 can be included in animage and infrared sensor camera which collectively performs thefunctions of the sensor 121. The image and infrared sensor camera ofFIGS. 5-6 is herein referred to as sensor 121. Sensor 121 can include amicrophone for receiving audible signals, an infrared (IR) emitter, anIR sensor, and an image (red, green, blue or RGB) sensor. Sensor 121 canprocess detectable signals of an object to create a biometric signatureof the object, which can be stored in profiles for identifying foreignand authorized objects.

A human object (person) can be sensed, for example, by the sensor 121,thereby generating sensor data in the form of image and infrared datawhich can be analyzed to assess dimensions and contours of member partsof the person as shown in FIG. 9. From the analysis, the sensor 121 cangenerate a biometric signature of the person for enabling futureidentification thereof. Although the person shown in FIG. 9 is depictedin a single perspective, other perspectives can be requested by thesensor 121 of the person (e.g., side views, rear view, etc.) in order toperform a more comprehensive biometric analysis of the person. Therequests submitted by the sensor 121 can be audible and/or can bepresented by way of a television monitor.

The biometric signature of the person that is generated by the sensor121 can include among other things metrics on height, arm length, leglength, shoulder width, hip width, body contours, facialcharacteristics, color of skin, color of eyes, and so on. The sensor 121can also collect voice data, which can be included in the biometricsignature. Gestures made by the person can be recorded to identifygesture signals (e.g., hand gestures) for purposes of identifying theperson and/or commands generated by the person to control objects in thepremises. The sensor 121 can also detect that the object being analyzedis a biped, and thereby store the biometric signature of the person in ahumanoid profile Animals such as pets (cats, dogs, hamsters, etc.) canalso be analyzed by the sensor 121 to generate biometric signatures ofanimal objects. Once the sensor 121 identifies the animal as aquadruped, it can store the biometric signature in an animal profile.

FIG. 10 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a method 1000 operating inportions of the systems described in FIGS. 1-8. Method 1000 can beginwith step 1002 in which one of the sensors 121 shown in the illustrativelayout of FIG. 7 detects an object. The object can be detected by thesensor 121 based on image data and/or infrared data produced by thesensor 121. The object can be a moving or still object of a person oranimal which is in a detectable range 802 of the sensor 121 as shown inFIG. 8. At step 1004, the sensor 121 can be programmed to detect anobject type from the sensor data. The image portion of the sensor datacan, for example, identify member parts of the object (e.g., legs) anddetermine therefrom that the object is a biped (likely humanoid) orquadruped (likely animal). If the object is a biped, the sensor 121 canproceed to step 1006 where it retrieves humanoid profiles.

The humanoid profiles can be locally stored in the sensor 121 or on theserver 131 of FIGS. 1-2. The humanoid profiles can represent profiles ofindividuals for which biometric signatures have been recorded. As notedearlier, one or more of the sensors 121 can be programmed to capturesensor data of an individual at different perspectives, analyze thesensor data and create a biometric signature of the individual based ondifferent perspectives (front, side, rear, or other suitable angles).Prior to enabling each sensor 121 to monitor the premises, a user can beprompted to perform a setup process where multiple individuals in ahousehold or commercial establishment are asked to position themselvesbefore a sensor 121 in multiple perspectives to capture sensor data andthereby create biometric signatures that can be stored in humanoidprofiles Animals under the control of the individual can also beprofiled by a sensor 121 based on instructions provided by the sensor121 to the individual to properly capture sufficient sensor data of theanimals to generate biometric signatures for future identifications.

Each humanoid profile can be adapted to include identifying informationof the individual such as their name, media services available to theindividual (which can be determined from a user account accessible tothe server 130 and made available to the sensors 121), gesture commandsfor controlling media services and/or resources in the premises (e.g.,lights, heating, air conditioning, access to a computer, etc.), andother suitable information which can be useful for the sensor 121 toprovide adequate monitoring, tracking, and control center services toauthorized individuals.

Once the humanoid profiles are retrieved in step 1006, the sensor 121can compare the biometric signature of each of the profiles to the bipedobject until it finds the profile that correlates to the biped.Correlation can be determined from an analysis of the member parts ofthe biped, contours of the biped, and/or facial characteristics of thebiped to enable the sensor 131 to detect a probable match to thebiometric signature of one of the humanoid profiles. If none of thebiometric signatures of the profiles correlate to the biped object, thenthe sensor 121 can proceed to step 1022 where an alarm is asserted. Thealarm may be a silent or audible alarm. The alarm may be a devicecoupled to the sensor 121, or it may be a device controlled by, forexample, the server 131 upon the server 131 receiving a message orsignal from the sensor 121 indicating an alarm state.

If the biped correlates to one of the profiles, the sensor 121 canproceed to step 1010 where the sensor 121 identifies the biped. Thisstep can be performed by the sensor 121 retrieving additionalinformation stored in the profile such as the name of the person,his/her authorization to be in the premises, and so on. At step 1012,the sensor 121 can further identify from the profile services associatedwith the identified person. The services can be, for example, mediaservices available at the premises (e.g., television resources, audioresources, etc.). The services can further include computing andcommunication resources available at the premises such as, for example,phone services, computer services, and so on. Once the person isidentified, the sensor 121 can cause the services to be enabled for theperson's use. This step can represent the sensor 121 sending a messageto the server 131 identifying the presence of the person, which causesthe server 131 to enable such services.

At step 1014, the sensor 121 can monitor commands invoked by the person.Commands can be in the form of speech commands, gesture commands, orcombinations thereof. Once a command is detected at step 1014, thesensor 121 can proceed to step 1016 where it performs actions toeffectuate the command. The action can be, for example, controllinglighting in the room, setting the temperature of an air conditioning orheating monitor, changing the volume on a television unit, retrievingmusic files which are presented to a media processor for presentation,and so on. If a command is not detected at step 1014, or the command iscompleted at step 1016, the sensor 121 proceeds to step 1026 where itdetermines if the person is moving to another area in the premises.

The sensor 121 can make this determination by detecting a trajectory ofthe person's movement. The direction taken by a person can be determinedby image data and/or infrared data, which enables the sensor 121 tocalculate the person's change in location and rate of change. If, forexample, the person is moving towards a door or out of the reach of thedetectable area of the sensor 121, the sensor 121 can compare theperson's trajectory to the layout of other sensors 121 in the premisesas shown in FIG. 7. The layout can be provided by the server 131 to eachsensor 121. The server 131 can be made aware of the layout of sensors121 in the premises by an administrator of the premises. Theadministrator can interface to the server 131 by way of the portal 302described in FIG. 3. The portal 302 can be configured to allow theadministrator to create a layout of the premises with tools provided bythe portal 302. Once the layout is complete, the administrator canidentify where each sensor 121 is located. The administrator can alsoidentify what each area in the premises represents (family room, office,conference room, etc.). In this manner, when an alarm is triggered atstep 1022, the alarm can also identify the affected rooms.

Alternatively, the sensors 121 can be locally controlled at the premisesby way of a computing device such as a computer. The computer caninclude software applications to enable the administrator to layout thepremises and identify the location of the sensors 121. In yet anotherembodiment, the sensors 121 can be configured with location sensors(e.g., GPS or RFID's) to identify their location within the premises.The location of the sensors 121 based on any of the aforementionedembodiments can be conveyed to each sensor 121 from a central device(server 131 or local computer) or between sensors 121 that areself-aware of the respective locations. Each sensor 121 can maintain adatabase of sensor locations, the layout of the premises, and names ofrooms in the premises to assess where the trajectory of a person maylead him or her to.

Once a trajectory is determined at step 1028, the sensor 121 candetermine from the layout and the location of the other sensors 121which neighboring sensor(s) 121 are in the trajectory of the individual.Once this determination is made, the sensor 121 transmits a message tothe neighboring sensor(s) 121 at step 1032 to alert the sensor(s) 121 ofthe person's trajectory. The message can include the identity of theperson if known and services enabled for the individual. Steps 1026-1032can be used to track the person's whereabouts, and to enable othersensors 121 to immediately present the person services previouslypresented by the sensor 121 conveying the trajectory message. In anembodiment where the alarm at step 1022 is triggered, steps 1026 through1032 provide a means to track an unidentified person's whereabouts whichcan be reported by each sensor 121 to the server 131 or other alarmprocessing device in the premises.

Referring back to step 1004, if the sensor 121 (that detected an objectat step 1002) determines that the object is a quadruped, the sensor 121proceeds to step 1018 where it retrieves animal profiles. The animalprofiles can be locally stored or a retrieved from the server 131. Atstep 1020 the sensor 121 can perform correlation analysis by comparingthe sensor data of the quadruped to biometric signatures of the animalprofiles. If a match is not detected, the sensor 121 proceeds to step1022 where the sensor 121 asserts the alarm 1022. The sensor 121 canthen proceed to steps 1026 through 1032 to monitor the whereabouts ofthe unidentified animal. The tracking of the animal can be useful to theadministrator of the premises to quickly locate and remove the animalfrom the premises. If a correlation is detected, the sensor 121 proceedsto step 1024 where it identifies the animal according to informationsupplied in the matching animal profile. The animal's whereabouts canalso be tracked in steps 1026-1032 as described earlier. The whereaboutsand identity of the animal can be communicated by each sensor 121 to theserver 131 or to a local computer of the administrator.

The aforementioned embodiments of method 100 provide a more accurate andprecise method for identifying objects, which can substantially reducefalse alarms. The above embodiments also provide an administrator of thepremises a resource for tracking the whereabouts of objects whetherauthorized or unauthorized, enabling the administrator to better managethe use of the premises by others.

Upon reviewing the aforementioned embodiments, it would be evident to anartisan with ordinary skill in the art that said embodiments can bemodified, reduced, or enhanced without departing from the scope andspirit of the claims described below. For example, method 1000 can beadapted so that a sensor 121 audibly queries a biped in the event that aprofile match is not found due to the biped's member parts and/orcontours not matching a corresponding biometric signature. The query cancause the biped to respond verbally. The verbal response can be comparedby a sensor 121 to an audible biometric signature of the profiles. Ifafter such comparisons, a profile match is not found, then the sensor121 can proceed to trigger an alarm at step 1022 as previouslydescribed. However, if a match is found, a false alarm can be avoided.In another embodiment, method 1000 can be adapted so that a sensor 121is programmed to audibly request a gesture command from the biped toidentify the biped. The gesture performed by the biped (e.g., handmotions, finger motions, leg or arm motions) can be compared to recordedgestures to identify the person as authorized to be in the premises.This embodiment can also avoid false alarms.

In yet another embodiment, method 1000 can be adapted to submit a signalto an approved object, such as a humanoid, to indicate to the detectedperson that they have been approved or unapproved. The signal can beaudible, visual (e.g., turning on a green LED on the sensor 121), orboth. In one embodiment, method 1000 can be adapted to cause the sensor121 to capture images of an unauthorized object, time stamp itsactivities, and track its movements. The images may be still or movingimages such as video. The captured images can be submitted to theadministrator of the building from which the sensors 121 operate and/orother entities such as the police. In addition, the sensors 121 can beadapted to submit streaming video or a sequence of still images to acommunication device (e.g., mobile device, computer) of theadministrator or other authorities to enable the recipient to observethe unauthorized object.

In yet another embodiment, method 1000 can be adapted so that thesensors 121 or server 131 receive user input or speech commandsgenerated from the communication device of the administrator and/orother authorities to disengage an alarm upon recognizing theunauthorized object. In one embodiment, the administrator and/or otherauthorities can submit user input or speech commands from thecommunication device to generate a request received and processed by thesensors 121 or the server 131 for establishing an audio feed to thesensors 121 to enable the requesting party to engage in audiocommunication with the unauthorized object by way of a microphone andspeaker interface of the sensor 121 nearest the unauthorized object.

The sensors 121 can also be adapted to transmit messages to acommunication device of the administrator indicating the whereabouts ofidentified or unidentified objects. The communication device may be acellular phone, a computer, or the web portal 302 described earlier. Inone embodiment, the sensors 121 can maintain local logs of objectsdetected, their trajectories, their ingress and egress times, and so on.This information can be communicated to the server 131 or a localcomputer, which can map the movements of persons and/or animals. Suchmappings can be presented in a graphical user interface showing thelayout of the premises, and the travel paths of detected individuals oranimals. The graphical user interface can be transmitted to a mobiledevice of the administrator, or can be presented by way of the portal302.

Other embodiments are contemplated by the subject disclosure.

FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary diagrammatic representation of a machine inthe form of a computer system 1100 within which a set of instructions,when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of themethods discussed above. One or more instances of the machine canoperate, for example, as the server 130, media processor 106, the mediadevices 108, the wireless communication devices 116, the CDs 201, 202,203 or 205, and/or other devices of FIGS. 1-6. In some embodiments, themachine may be connected (e.g., using a network) to other machines. In anetworked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of aserver or a client user machine in server-client user networkenvironment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed)network environment.

The machine may comprise a server computer, a client user computer, apersonal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a smart phone, a laptop computer, adesktop computer, a control system, a network router, switch or bridge,or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential orotherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. It will beunderstood that a communication device of the subject disclosureincludes broadly any electronic device that provides voice, video ordata communication. Further, while a single machine is illustrated, theterm “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machinesthat individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) ofinstructions to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein.

The computer system 1100 may include a processor 1102 (e.g., a centralprocessing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU, or both), a mainmemory 1104 and a static memory 1106, which communicate with each othervia a bus 1108. The computer system 1100 may further include a videodisplay unit 1110 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a flat panel,or a solid state display. The computer system 1100 may include an inputdevice 1112 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 1114 (e.g., amouse), a disk drive unit 1116, a signal generation device 1118 (e.g., aspeaker or remote control) and a network interface device 1120.

The disk drive unit 1116 may include a tangible computer-readablestorage medium 1122 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions(e.g., software 1124) embodying any one or more of the methods orfunctions described herein, including those methods illustrated above.The instructions 1124 may also reside, completely or at least partially,within the main memory 1104, the static memory 1106, and/or within theprocessor 1102 during execution thereof by the computer system 1100. Themain memory 1104 and the processor 1102 also may constitute tangiblecomputer-readable storage media.

Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to,application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays andother hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement themethods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatusand systems of various embodiments broadly include a variety ofelectronic and computer systems. Some embodiments implement functions intwo or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices withrelated control and data signals communicated between and through themodules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit.Thus, the example system is applicable to software, firmware, andhardware implementations.

In accordance with various embodiments of the subject disclosure, themethods described herein are intended for operation as software programsrunning on a computer processor. Furthermore, software implementationscan include, but not limited to, distributed processing orcomponent/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtualmachine processing can also be constructed to implement the methodsdescribed herein.

While the tangible computer-readable storage medium 1122 is shown in anexample embodiment to be a single medium, the term “tangiblecomputer-readable storage medium” should be taken to include a singlemedium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database,and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets ofinstructions. The term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” shallalso be taken to include any non-transitory medium that is capable ofstoring or encoding a set of instructions for execution by the machineand that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods ofthe subject disclosure.

The term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” shall accordinglybe taken to include, but not be limited to: solid-state memories such asa memory card or other package that houses one or more read-only(non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or other re-writable(volatile) memories, a magneto-optical or optical medium such as a diskor tape, or other tangible media which can be used to store information.Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more ofa tangible computer-readable storage medium, as listed herein andincluding art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which thesoftware implementations herein are stored.

Although the present specification describes components and functionsimplemented in the embodiments with reference to particular standardsand protocols, the disclosure is not limited to such standards andprotocols. Each of the standards for Internet and other packet switchednetwork transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) representexamples of the state of the art. Such standards are from time-to-timesuperseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentiallythe same functions. Wireless standards for device detection (e.g.,RFID), short-range communications (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi, Zigbee), andlong-range communications (e.g., WiMAX, GSM, CDMA, LTE) are contemplatedfor use by computer system 1100.

The illustrations of embodiments described herein are intended toprovide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments,and they are not intended to serve as a complete description of all theelements and features of apparatus and systems that might make use ofthe structures described herein. Many other embodiments will be apparentto those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Otherembodiments may be utilized and derived therefrom, such that structuraland logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing fromthe scope of this disclosure. Figures are also merely representationaland may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions thereof may beexaggerated, while others may be minimized. Accordingly, thespecification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative ratherthan a restrictive sense.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement calculated toachieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodimentsshown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations orvariations of various embodiments. Combinations of the aboveembodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein,are contemplated by the subject disclosure.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided with the understanding thatit will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of theclaims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can beseen that various features are grouped together in a single embodimentfor the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method ofdisclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that theclaimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited ineach claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subjectmatter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment.Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the DetailedDescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimedsubject matter.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device, comprising: a sensor; a memory storingexecutable instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory, whereinthe processor responsive to executing the instructions performsoperations comprising: receiving sensor data from the sensor; detectingan object according to the sensor data; asserting an alarm responsive todetermining from the sensor data that the detected object is notcorrelated to any of a plurality of profiles biometrically descriptiveof approved objects; classifying the detected object as an authorizedobject responsive to determining from the sensor data that the detectedobject is correlated to a profile of the plurality of profiles;responsive to determining that the detected object is an authorizedperson: identifying, from the profile, services associated with theperson and commands for controlling the respective services, enablingthe services for use by equipment of the person, and monitoring commandsinvoked by the equipment of the person; and notifying a neighboringdevice responsive to asserting the alarm or responsive to classifyingthe detected object as the authorized object, wherein the plurality ofprofiles comprises a biometric signature of a person including anaudible signature of the person or a recorded gesture of the person, andwherein the biometric signature further includes a dimension of a bodypart of the person.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensorcomprises an imaging sensor, a depth sensor, or both.
 3. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the dimension comprises an arm length, a leg length, ashoulder width, a hip width, or a combination thereof, and wherein theoperations further comprise identifying member parts of the detectedobject according to the sensor data.
 4. The device of claim 3, whereinthe operations further comprise: selecting from the plurality ofprofiles a humanoid profile responsive to determining from the memberparts that the detected object is a biped organism; and detecting from acomparison of the sensor data and the selected humanoid profile that thebiped organism is an approved object or is a disapproved object.
 5. Thedevice of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise detectingthat the biped organism is an approved object according to a biometricanalysis of body contours of the biped organism using the sensor data.6. The device of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprisedetecting that the biped organism is an approved object according to abiometric analysis of facial characteristics of the biped organism usingthe sensor data.
 7. The device of claim 4, wherein the operationsfurther comprise detecting that the biped organism is one of theapproved objects according to a gesture movement of at least one of themember parts.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the authorized object isa human being or animal authorized to be in an area where the device islocated.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations furthercomprise: determining that the detected object is moving in a trajectoryof the neighboring device; and notifying the neighboring device of thetrajectory of the detected object.
 10. The device of claim 3, whereinthe operations further comprise: selecting from the plurality ofprofiles an animal profile responsive to determining from the memberparts that the detected object is a quadruped organism; and detectingfrom a comparison of the sensor data and the selected animal profilethat the quadruped organism is an approved object or is a disapprovedobject.
 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations furthercomprise receiving a notification from the neighboring device prior todetecting a presence of the object that the object is moving in atrajectory detectable by the sensor.
 12. The device of claim 1, whereinthe memory comprises a database of locations of a plurality ofneighboring devices, wherein the plurality of neighboring devicesincludes the neighboring device, and wherein the neighboring deviceutilizes the database to notify another device of the plurality ofneighboring devices when the detected object is moving in a trajectorytowards the other device of the plurality of neighboring devices.
 13. Amethod, comprising: detecting, by a system including a processor, apresence of an object from sensor data generated by a sensor device;retrieving, by the system, from a memory device a plurality of profilesbiometrically descriptive of approved objects; asserting, by the system,an alarm responsive to determining from the sensor data that the objectis not biometrically correlated to any of the plurality of profiles;classifying, by the system, the object as an approved object responsiveto determining from the sensor data that the object is biometricallycorrelated to a profile of the plurality of profiles; responsive todetermining that the detected object is an approved person: identifying,by the system and from the profile, services associated with the personand commands for controlling the respective services, enabling, by thesystem, the services for use by equipment of the person, and monitoring,by the system, commands invoked by the equipment of the person; andnotifying, by the system, a neighboring device responsive to assertingthe alarm or responsive to classifying the object as an approved object,wherein the plurality of profiles comprises a biometric signature of aperson including an audible signature of the person or a recordedgesture of the person, and wherein the biometric signature furtherincludes a dimension of a body part of the person.
 14. The method ofclaim 13, comprising: detecting, by the system, from the sensor datamember parts of the object; selecting, by the system, from the pluralityof profiles a humanoid profile responsive to determining from the memberparts that the object is a biped organism; and detecting, by the system,from a comparison of the sensor data and the selected humanoid profilethat the biped organism is an approved object or is a disapprovedobject.
 15. The method of claim 14, comprising, by the system, detectingthat the biped organism is an approved object according to a biometricanalysis of body contours of the biped organism, a biometric analysis offacial characteristics, a gesture movement of one of the member parts,or a combination thereof.
 16. The method of claim 13, comprising:detecting, by the system, member parts of the object from the sensordata; selecting, by the system, from the plurality of profiles an animalprofile responsive to determining from the member parts that the objectis a quadruped organism; and detecting, by the system, from a comparisonof the sensor data and the selected animal profile that the quadrupedorganism is an approved object or is a disapproved object.
 17. Amachine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions,wherein responsive to a processor executing the instructions, theprocessor performs operations, comprising: detecting an object fromsensor data generated by a sensor device; retrieving a plurality ofprofiles biometrically descriptive of authorized objects; classifyingthe detected object as an authorized object responsive to determiningfrom the sensor data that the detected object is biometricallycorrelated to a profile of the plurality of profiles; responsive todetermining that the detected object is an authorized person:identifying, from the profile, services associated with the person andcommands for controlling the respective services, enabling the servicesfor use by equipment of the person, and monitoring commands invoked bythe equipment of the person; and notifying a neighboring deviceresponsive to classifying the detected object as an authorized object,wherein the plurality of profiles comprises a biometric signature of aperson including an audible signature of the person or a recordedgesture of the person, and wherein the biometric signature furtherincludes a dimension of a body part of the person.
 18. Themachine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the servicescomprise media services associated with a premises, resources associatedwith the premises, or a combination thereof.
 19. The machine-readablestorage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:receiving from a remote server data associated with serviceentitlements; and caching the data to enable facilitation ofestablishment of services for subsequent detections of the authorizedobject.
 20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein theoperations further comprise creating the profile biometricallycorrelated to the authorized object from other sensor data used tobiometrically identify the authorized object.